Display device



B. J. STEPHENS ET AL.-

DISPLAY DEVICE Jan. 30, 1951 Filed Sept. 25, 1948 FIG 3.

INVENTORS BARNARD J. STEPHENS By NORMAN o. LEWIS MWF/M ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 30, 1951 UNITED STATES orifl 'C DISPLAY DEVICE Applioationseptember 25, 1948, Serial No. 51,184"

4 Claims. i;

Thisinvention relates to animproved type of display deflector-packaged; goods which is especially adapted; for-easy attachment to, and deta'ohment. from, a shelf or similar supporting ledge'at any desired point thereon.

An object of the invention is to provide a displaydeviceof the character mentioned comprisinga frame having a top wall with an opening therein for. receiving an: article to lie-displayed, a tray'pivotally 'mountedon the frame below the top: wall in position. tosnpport an article placed within theopening in the top wall, the top wall ofthe frame having an extension for engaging overa: shelf panel-and the-tray'having an extension disposed beneath: the extension of. the top wall for engaging against the under-face of the shelf" panel, and. a springr-for pivoting the tray in the direction which will'apress the tray extension toward the extension of the top wall, said extensions thus'serving. under the action of the spring asa clampto, removahly. seourethe device to the shelf panel;

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following detailed description and drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawings;

Fig; 1 is av perspective view of the display device as applied to a shelf panel;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device, a portion of the top wall of the frame being broken away to show the spring mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a partial section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is an elevational View taken in the direction indicated by line i-tl of Fig. 3.

In the embodiment shown. the device comprises a box-shaped frame consisting of a top wall 5, and side walls 6, l, 8 and 9 depending therefrom; a tray or platform I i, pivotally supported within the frame below top wall 55 on a rod l2 which extends transversally of the frame between walls 6 and 8, the pivotal connection with tray 5 i being provided by a pair of lugs l3 carried by the opposite sides of the tray and each provided with a hole for receiving rod l2; and a pair of coil springs it carried at the opposite ends of rod 52 between lugs 53 and the adjacent walls of the frame.

The frame and tray are preferably made of heavy sheet metal, as for example, sheet aluminum. The top wall in the embodiment shown. is provided with a circular opening 55 for receiving an article to be displayed, as for example a bottle It as shown in Fig. 3. This top wall 5 is provided with a jaw or extension for en iii.

gaging over a shelf ledge or-panel H", the exteninv the embodiment shown being formed as an integral part of said top-wall and consisting oi two strips or prongs i5 positioned on. either sideof side wall 91 The tray M, which conforms generally-to. the shape of the frame in whichi it is supported,- corrwhich.ex-tenddownwardly from wall. it. The ienrtir side-oi wall is is-bent upwardly.- at a slight angle, just below rod [-2. This upwardly bent portion Ed isbest showniin Fig. 3 and is the port-ion of the'bottom. wall to which the lugs 53 are secured; Thisinclined portion 2t of the bottom wall. of the tray has formed as an integral part thereof two jaws or'extensions 25- d-isposed bethe extensions til of the top .wall. These extensions 25 are designed to engage against the under face of shelf. panel. ll. Theextremities of these extensions 25' are: preferably bent slightly downwardly, asshown at 26-, the downwardly inclined extremities serving asa guide-to facilitate shoving the deviceon-to shelf panel H;

The tray H is pivoted by the-coil springs I 4 in a clockwise direction, viewing Fig. 3, on'eend. 2-1

of each-of. said'springs bearing upwardly against the under face of top-wall: 5 of the frame and the other endzsot' each of said springs-bearing downwardly on. the tray; said ends- 28. being bentinwardly to-=extend thieughslotsifii formedin side walls 2! and 23, as shown in Fig. 4.

It will be apparent that under the action of coil springs l4 which tend to pivot tray H away from the top wall of the frame the tray extensions 25 are pressed upwardly against the under face of shelf panel ll. Thus, under this spring action, said extensions 25 co-act with extensions 58 to securely clamp the device onto shelf panel H. The strength of springs M is such that this clamping action is sufiiciently strong to hold the device in clamped position on the shelf under the weight of the article which the device is designed to display. It will be noted that the construction is such that the device may be readily mounted on, and removed from, the shelf panel H. To mount the device it is merely necessary to shove it against the edge of the shelf until the frame wall 55 has come into contact with the shelf edge. As the device is thus shoved against the shelf panel, tray extensions 25 are moved downwardly against the tension of springs Hi, the tray ll being pivoted in a counter-clockwise direction, viewing Fig. 3, into a horizontal position, in which position it provides a fiat support for the bottle It will be further noted that the design is such that the weight of bottle it; tends to pivot tray II in a clockwise direction, viewing Fig. 3, thus augmenting the action of springs M and providing additional clamping force for securely holding the device on the shelf. The device is removed from the shelf by merely pulling it outwardly until extensions i8 and 25 are disengaged from panel 11.

The device is particularly well adapted for use in the display of bottled merchandise, although it can be so shaped as to readily lend itself to the display of other shaped package goods. In effect it serves as a shelf extender projecting as it does from the edge of the shelf to which it may be easily applied at any desired point.

It will be undertsood that the foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention has been given for clearness of understanding only, and that the invention is not to be construed as limited to the details of this specific embodiment.

What we regard as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A display device comprising a frame, including a top wall with an opening therein for receiving an article to be displayed and an extension for engaging over a shelf panel, a tray pivotally mounted within the frame in position to support an article placed in said opening, said tray having an extension positioned beneath said top wall extension for engaging against the under face of a shelf panel, and spring means arranged to pivot the tray in a direction to press said tray extension toward the extension of the top wall, said extensions thus serving under the action of said spring means as a clamp to removably secure the device in display position on a shelf panel.

2. A display device comprising a frame having a top wall and side walls depending therefrom, said top wall having an opening therein for receiving an article to be displayed, a tray, means for pivotally supporting said tray between the side walls of the frame and in position to support an article placed in said opening, the top wall of said frame having an extension for engaging over a shelf panel and said tray having an extension positioned beneath said top wall extension for engaging against the under face of a shelf panel, and spring means carried by said pivotal support means for pivoting the tray in a direction to press said tray extension toward the extension of the top wall, said extensions thus serving under the action of said spring means as a clamp to removably secure the device in display position on a shelf panel.

3. A display device comprising a pair of hinged members having opposed jaws arranged to engage a shelf ledge, one of said members having an opening for receiving an article to be displayed, the other being shaped to support such an article when placed in said opening, and spring means disposed between said hinged members for pivoting said jaws about the point of hinged connection into clamping position when in engagement with a shelf ledge.

4. A display device comprising a frame having a top wall, and a side wall depending therefrom for engaging against the edge of a shelf ledge, said top wall having an opening therein for supporting an article to be displayed, a tray, means for pivotally supporting said tray on the frame and in position to support an article placed in said opening, the top wall of said frame having a jaw projecting beyond the side wall for engaging over a shelf ledge and said tray having a jaw positioned beneath said first mentioned jaw for engaging against the under face of a shelf ledge, and spring means arranged to pivot the tray in a direction to press said jaws together, said side wall of the frame serving as a stop for engaging against the edge of a shelf ledge when the device is mounted thereon and said jaws serving under the action of said spring means as a clamp to removably secure the device to the ledge.

BERNARD J. STEPHENS. NORMAN O. LEWIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 65,273 Rice May 28, 1867 1,747,710 Hanley Feb. 18, 1930 1,955,476 Torgerson Apr. 17, 1934 1,967,898 Nilson July 24, 1934 

